The Patrick Chan Doll

April 20, 2011

Artist Bob Hunter

I met Patrick and his family in 2001 when I worked at a private club were he was learning to figure skate. Patrick was around ten years old when I used to watch him with his coach Osborne Colson from the club’s Dining Room window. You could tell then by his hard work and dedication that he was going to be a talented figure skater. I have kept in touch with Patrick’s mom Karen over the years and she asked if I would consider doing a portrait of Patrick. I told her that I had not done a portrait as of yet but I would give it a try when I was inspired. So I was inspired to sculpt this doll when Patrick won the Canadian Figure Skating Championship 2011. This was my Quad to land and I hope I have done so unscathed. Congratulations Patrick I hope you like him.

The doll’s head, hands, skates and buttons are sculpted out of polymer clay.

The finish is done with acrylic paints and chalk pastels. The eyes are hand painted with acrylic paint. The costume is hand sewn fitted directly onto the doll. The body is a wire armature and padded with a poly fibre. The base is made of wood, covered with Apoxy Sculpt and painted.